The carnage happened on the home turn in the 3.20 when the horse Tylicki was riding Nellie Dean clipped the hind legs of the horse in front - the eventual winner Madame Butterfly - and fell, bringing down three more.

Crowley and Electrify were racing immediately behind and crashed to the ground.

Drowne's mount Skara Mae. Durcan was also caught up in the melee and was unseated from Sovrano Dolce.

As concern grew, officials at Kempton held talks with fellow jockeys and agreed to call off the rest of the afternoon's racing as a mark of respect.

Crowley, 38, had only recently won the jockeys championship for the first time. He has ridden 184 winners this year.